A Visit From the Past
by athena08
Summary: A childhood girl friend of Kenshin's comes to visit and they get pretty cozy, making Kaoru jealous. Will she reach the point where she breaks down and confesses her feelings for him? My story...not yours (take = kill)
1. Part 1

A/N: Yes, I am aware that this story is extremely corny, so please do not say that if you review this . . . reviews are always appreciated, but since I cannot force you to do anything, the choice is entirely yours.  
  
Part 1  
  
The wind whistled through the leaves as darkness settled on the Tokyo sky. Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, Sanosuke, and Megumi were sitting on the back porch of the Kamiya dojo, watching the autumn leaves fall and sipping herbal tea.  
  
"This is very good, Kenshin" Kaoru commented, taking a rather large sip and causing a bit of tea to stream down her chin.  
  
He smiled, his violet eyes gleaming with pride. "It's my obasan's own recipe, that it is."  
  
"Oh, is it?" Megumi asked, leaning over Kenshin's shoulder, her voice sultry and low.  
  
"That's nice," Kaoru said flatly, crossing her arms in front of her chest and turning her back to them.  
  
"What's her problem?" Yahiko spoke up, looking annoyed at Kaoru as usual.  
  
"What do you think it is?" Sanosuke replied, rolling his eyes. "She's been staring at Kenshin all night. Isn't it obvious?"  
  
At this comment, Kenshin's face went bright red and Kaoru's eyes widened as she turned around. "Sanosuke! You know that's not true! Take that back now! You shouldn't tell lies like that about people!" She shouted, whacking him with her bokutou, which was lying conveniently next to her.  
  
He rubbed the red spot on his arm. "Geeze, you don't have to be so violent . . . I was just making an observation."  
  
"Pfft" She snorted, swallowing the rest of her tea.  
  
"Would you like more?" Kenshin asked gently.  
  
"No, I'm fine." She looked at Megumi and saw the woman smirk at her. "I think I'm going to go take a walk now."  
  
"I could accompany you if you want. You seem to have much on your mind, that you do," Kenshin offered, standing and extending a hand to her.  
  
"No thank you, I wish to be alone." She ignored his outstretched hand and rose, walking slowly to the end of the porch and stepping lightly down the wooden stairs. Walking past the garden, she decided to go into the woods where she could be alone.  
  
Why did I push him away like that? She thought, her mind swirling with confusion. He can be so annoying sometimes, but well . . . I feel different around him.Yeah, different, she consoled herself.  
  
As she continued to walk through the trees, she glanced up at the full moon and sighed. "It looks so serene," She whispered, wishing that someone were here to share it with her. Still mystified by the wonder of the pure moon, she sat down on a log and continued to stare up towards the heavens.  
  
Just then, there was a faint rustling noise. At first, Kaoru just ignored it, but it got louder and louder until she recognized it as footsteps crunching over the fallen leaves. The footsteps got faster and nearer until the person seemed to be only a few yards from where she was sitting. Kaoru rose, glancing around in every direction and trying to see if the person would reveal their identity.  
  
"Kenshin?" She called, immediately putting a hand to her mouth.  
  
Why was I so quick to call his name? Her mind asked her. Was it because he's the person I want to see?  
  
Creeping slowly towards the sound, she called out again. "Hello, is anyone there?"  
  
The noise seemed to back away a little and Kaoru, realizing the direction that it was coming from, began to approach the figure that she could faintly see through the leaves.  
  
"Hello?" She called again, parting the bushes and coming even closer. Reaching out, she felt silk under her fingertips and quickly withdrew her hand, a giant sweat drop forming on her forehead. Slowly, she started to back away, but her heart seemed to stop when she heard a large thump in front of her.  
  
Looking down, she realized that a young woman was laying face first on the ground. "Oh! Are you okay?" She knelt down, quickly turning the woman over.  
  
In the darkness, Kaoru could barely make out her facial features. Realizing the woman was unconscious, she bent down and slung her over her back, trying to carry her the best she could. Making heavy and wobbly footsteps, she approached the porch, calling out to the others.  
  
"Someone! Help me!" She cried, almost losing her balance on a stone.  
  
Sanosuke, who had been battling it out with Yahiko, heard a sound that jolted him a bit. "Did you hear that?" He asked the others, his eyes gray with concern.  
  
"I heard something too, that I did" Kenshin said, scanning the area around the porch.  
  
"It kind of sounded like Ms. Kaoru," Megumi commented, pouring herself another glass of tea and looking rather unconcerned.  
  
"Yeah, it does sound like her, that it does," He grabbed a hold of the railing and used it to pull himself up.  
  
"Where are you going?" Yahiko asked, looking impatient. "Kaoru always is screaming or having a fit about something. She's fine by herself."  
  
"Well, I'm going to make sure that Ms. Kaoru is okay," Kenshin said quietly, walking down the stairs and heading in her direction.  
  
"Kenshin?" Kaoru called, about to drop the woman slung across her back.  
  
"Its me, Ms. Kaoru!" He responded, running towards her. Realizing what she was doing, Kenshin's eyes widened and he pulled the girl off of her back. "Ms. Kaoru, who is this?" He asked, looking even more concerned.  
  
"I . . . I found her in the woods. She had fainted," She replied, sitting down on the ground and sighing with exhaustion.  
  
"We must get her inside, that we must," He said, picking her up and heading back towards the dojo.  
  
A worried look in her eye, Kaoru followed him into the dojo and to the guest bedroom. He placed the woman down on a futon and slowly stood.  
  
"I'll go get Ms. Megumi," Kenshin offered, pushing aside Kaoru and walking back out to the porch.  
  
Her eyes following him, Kaoru slowly edged over to the futon and sat down, switching her glance over to the girl's facial features.  
  
The young woman appeared to be around her own age, about seventeen or eighteen. She had high cheekbones and a tiny nose, which gave her almost a juvenile appearance. Her golden hair was smeared with mud and dirt, as was her ragged red kimono, which hung on her skinny frame. As she sighed, her eyelids fluttered open slightly and then closed, giving Kaoru a glimpse of her piercing green eyes.  
  
"What happened to you?" She whispered, knowing that the girl couldn't hear her.  
  
She heard the shuffling of footsteps at the door and turned, seeing Megumi arrive with her bag of medicinal herbs and other supplies. Entering quietly, the doctor waved Kaoru out of the room and knelt down by the unconscious woman's side.  
  
That night, Kaoru's head was amiss with strange dreams. She dreamt that she and Kenshin were embracing in a field, when the sky began to darken and the clouds overshadowed the sun. The ground erupted in jagged crags, as it split between Kenshin and her. The crack got larger and larger, as she and Kenshin became further and further from each other.  
  
"Kenshin!" She called out, being pulled backwards from the shifting land.  
  
Then, a figure rose from the center of the abyss and hovered in the sky. Kaoru recognized her as the woman that she had retrieved from the woods. Immediately, the girl started descending back into the crevice, grabbing Kenshin's ankle and pulling him down with her. Laughing, she continued dragging him down through the earth.  
  
Quickly, she turned around, and when Kaoru saw her face, she was horrified. Her beautiful defined features were gone, and were replaced by greenish looking skin, pulled taught over her bony face. Her hair had become alive, wiggling around as if it were made of serpents.  
  
"No!" She screamed, as the demon pulled Kenshin in even farther. "Kenshin!"  
  
He looked up at her, horror in his eyes. "Kaoru . . . help me," He said faintly, before disappearing altogether. Then, the cracks in the earth subsided and the field became mundane again. She immediately crumbled, sobbing in a heap on the wet grass.  
  
Just then, Kaoru awoke with a start, sitting up quickly. Sweat poured down her face as she breathed heavily. "Kenshin!" She cried, trying to calm her hyperventilating.  
  
The shuffling of footsteps was immediately heard, as the door to her room opened and Kenshin quietly entered. He sat down silently next to her and took her hand.  
  
"Ms. Kaoru, are you okay? I heard you screaming and then heard my name, so I decided to check and see if you were doing alright."  
  
"Oh, Kenshin," She cried, falling into his arms. Not expecting this, his eyes widened as a large sweat drop fell down the side of his head. He held her as she sobbed into his shoulder.  
  
"Kenshin, I had the most frightening dream," She choked between sobs, "We were in a field and then the ground opened and you were pulled inside."  
  
He nodded, used to her dramatic behavior. "Shhh . . . It'll be okay," Kenshin whispered, consoling her.  
  
Her crying slowly stopped, as she yawned slightly, still holding onto his shoulder. She felt herself drift off, as she closed her eyes and fell asleep in his arms.  
  
Laying her down softly, Kenshin pulled her blanket up over her shoulders and kissed her forehead lightly. Smiling gently, he got up and headed for the door.  
  
"I love you Kenshin," She mumbled in her sleep, slowly turning over.  
  
His smile widened as he left her room, silently closing the door behind him. "I love you too, Ms. Kaoru," he mumbled, going back to bed.  
  
A/N: This is NOT the end of the story . . . I will continue it as soon as I a) get enough reviews or b) get my lazy ass over to my computer to write more . . . 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
The next day, Kenshin woke to the delicious smell of Nihon-ryori and chawan-mushi drifting into his room. Getting up slowly, he yawned and ran his hand through his lose fiery red hair. Not bothering to change or put his hair up, he walked slowly into the kitchen, all the while rubbing his eyes.  
  
Weird, he thought, as the smell grew stronger, I didn't think that Kaoru could make anything smell so good . . . I wonder how she's improved her cooking so fast.  
  
As he looked into the kitchen, he saw Kaoru with her back to the door, wearing a dark purple kimono and a bright pink obi, both with floral patterns on them. Her hair was wrapped up under a lavender ribbon and she appeared to be humming something.  
  
Approaching slowly, Kenshin put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Hi, Ms. Kaoru. How did you sleep last night?"  
  
The figure seemed to jump at his touch and spun around quickly, causing Kenshin to withdraw his hand. Looking down at her face, he realized that she was not Kaoru at all, but instead was the woman they had dragged out of the woods. Upon further inspection of her features, now that there was daylight, he realized that she had a tiny birthmark on her chin. Seeing this distinguishing mark made something in him turn, and he realized that he had seen her somewhere before.  
  
"I am sorry," she said softly, "I did not mean to startle like that."  
  
Kenshin waved it off with his hand and smiled warmly. "Don't worry, that is okay. I thought you were Ms. Kaoru." He laughed slightly and sat down at the table, pouring himself a mug full of tea. "It smells very good, that it does," he commented, sniffing the air.  
  
"Thank you," the girl mumbled again. Her voice struck a chord in Kenshin's heart, as he realized how much she sounded like Tomoe. Shaking off the sad feelings, he took another quick sip of tea and sat back in his chair, wondering where the others were.  
  
"Mr. Sanosuke and little Yahiko went out to get some more nori for tonight's dinner," she said quietly, as if reading his thoughts. "Thank you so much for having me here. I'm sorry to intrude on you like this. Ms. Megumi gave me these wonderful clothes to borrow, but after this morning I suppose I should return them and be on my way again."  
  
Kenshin put his hands up, as if to add to the strength of his words. "No, no! You did not intrude at all! We haven't had guests in so long, that we haven't. Plus, you're still hurt." He motioned towards the bloody bandage wrapped around her leg.  
  
Taking the pieces of chawan-mushi off the wok and putting them onto a small plate, she quenched the stove embers and wiped her hands on a linen cloth. "I hope I have made enough," she sighed, limping over to the table and taking a seat.  
  
"I don't suppose I've had time to introduce myself," he said, nodding. "I'm Himura-"  
  
"Kenshin?" the young woman finished, her eyes widening and her face getting a bit paler.  
  
His eyes widened as well. "How did you know my name? Did Ms. Megumi tell you?"  
  
She shook her head slowly, looking at the table. She glanced up at him, her dark green eyes making contact with his. "No . . . my name is Matsumoto Kira," she paused, sighing. "Do you not remember me?"  
  
He closed his eyes, trying to remember who she was. His mind seemed to revert back to the days he spent as a young teenager with Seijiro Hiko. Just then, a light bulb went on in his head and he remembered the young blonde-haired girl that he had been best friends with as a young teen.  
  
"Yes," He murmured after a moment. "You're the vegetable seller's daughter that lived across the road from the Seijiro dojo."  
  
A big smile spread over her face. "Yes! You remember me!" she laughed. "I remember that time we snuck out after dark to try to fish on the broken bridge. To this day, I still remember how the freezing water felt when I fell in, yet I have no idea who we were trying to prove ourselves to."  
  
He laughed, remembering that incident. "Yes, and the time that we tried to capture Mrs. Oshiro's Shiba Inu. We tried to tie brushes to his paws and get him to clean the dojo floor for us."  
  
She brushed a piece of blonde hair out of her eyes as they continued to laugh, pouring over their childhood stories and adventures.  
  
Meanwhile, Kaoru was just waking. Smelling the same delectable scents that Kenshin had, she grinned and quickly dressed in her training clothes of a navy blue hakama and a cream-colored gi. Putting her hair up quickly, she ran down the hallway, stopping when she got to the kitchen door. Kenshin and Kira were laughing like old friends, and Kaoru started to wonder if they had met before.  
  
Sitting down on the other side of Kenshin, she poured herself some tea and quickly drank the whole glass.  
  
"Good morning, Ms. Kaoru!" He welcomed her, a wide smile on his face. Turning to Kira, he motioned to her, then to Kaoru. "Ms. Kira, this is Ms. Kaoru. Ms. Kaoru, this is Ms. Kira."  
  
Kira nodded, as if bowing with her head. "It is great to meet you, Kaoru. Kenshin has been telling me wonderful things about you and your dojo."  
  
Kaoru yawned, nodding as well. "I'm sure that nothing he's said is true. I'm not THAT bad a cook."  
  
At that comment, Kira looked a bit confused, where as Kenshin broke into laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" Kaoru asked sharply, looking impatient.  
  
"Nothing . . . nothing," he managed to mumble between bursts of laughter.  
  
"Humph," she got up, looking tired and slightly irritable. I'm going to go have some sake. I need to wake up."  
  
Kenshin raised an eyebrow, looking concerned. "Ms. Kaoru, I wouldn't experiment with sake early in the morning, that I wouldn't."  
  
She shrugged his comment off, storming out of the kitchen.  
  
"I wonder what her problem is," a familiar voice suddenly called, coming from the window.  
  
Startled, Kenshin and Kira looked around and saw Sanosuke leaning over through the window, eavesdropping on what had just occurred.  
  
"Sanosuke," he mumbled, "I thought you and Yahiko had gone to get some nori."  
  
Sanosuke nodded, pointing back over his shoulder. "Yeah, Yahiko insisted upon carrying it all. Man, for such a scrawny kid, he's got a huge ego."  
  
Kenshin nodded, laughing softly. "Yes. Where is he, by the way?"  
  
Not looking concerned, Sano merely glanced back behind him. "He should be coming. Those two huge barrels of nori might weigh him down a bit, however."  
  
Just then, Yahiko stumbled into the kitchen, heavy wooden barrels on his shoulders. As he was about to set them down, he suddenly lost his balance and fell face-first on the ground, the barrels almost hitting him in the back of the head.  
  
"Are you alright, little Yahiko?" Kira asked, rising slowly.  
  
Yahiko mumbled something that no one could make out.  
  
"What was that?" Sanosuke taunted.  
  
This time, Yahiko's voice was a bit louder but his words were still slurred together, making his message indeterminable.  
  
"Say that again?" Sano teased once more.  
  
With that, Yahiko threw himself to his feet, his face red with anger. "I'M NOT LITTLE!" he screamed, storming out the kitchen door.  
  
"It seems we're all a bit irritable this morning," Sanosuke smirked, coming into the kitchen through the back door.  
  
"Yes," Kenshin nodded, although his eyes seemed hazy and his mind appeared to be on something else, other than Yahiko's outburst.  
  
"What is it, Kenshin?" Kira asked, looking slightly concerned.  
  
"Nothing . . . absolutely nothing," he forced a smile, trying to reassure her.  
  
In fact, something was troubling Kenshin. For some reason, his mind wandered back to the time he was around fifteen. When he had first thought of Kira, he hadn't remembered the other side of their relationship, which came through, as they grew older. He had failed, at first, to remember the romance that they had shared, promises they had made to be together. And now that he was aware of his love for Kaoru, he wasn't sure what was going to happen. He didn't know of whether Kira would try to rekindle this romance and if it even could be rekindled. He didn't want to hurt Kaoru's feelings, but he still felt something in his heart for Kira.  
  
I love them both so much, he thought, his mind swirling with confusion.  
  
Over the next few days, Kira's health increased and she began helping Kenshin with his chores. They'd go out and fold laundry together, laughing and recalling all these times that Kenshin had thought he'd forgotten. He felt complete around Kira, as if his past was less unsettling then he had always thought.  
  
On the other hand, Kaoru's happiness was decreasing. She noticed the amount of time that Kenshin and Kira had been spending together and was slightly envious. Also, Kaoru realized that she was envious of Kira's beautiful features. Although she had thought the girl was around her own age, Akira was really twenty-seven years old, but had a youthful and lighthearted look to her. Her personality was perfect in all the places that Kaoru's wasn't. She was patient, slow to anger, easygoing and had a wonderful sense of humor.  
  
Unlike me in every way, Kaoru thought, a tear forming in the corner of her eye.  
  
Quickly brushing it away, she sighed, wondering if she would lose Kenshin forever. The tears came more quickly and she slowly curled up into a ball, crying into her knees. After sobbing for a while, she felt tired and unable to cry any longer. Her sadness replaced by determination, she stood up and walked out onto the porch, wanting to find Kenshin and tell him everything, fearing that he would drift too far away from her.  
  
As she looked up into the sky, she noticed the brilliant oranges and pinks of the sunset. "Such beauty," she mumbled, pausing a moment to watch the sky darken, and then continuing to walk off of the porch and through the garden.  
  
"Kenshin!" she called, her eyes frantically scanning the surrounding areas. Hearing a slight noise, she slowly edged over to the garden bridge and saw Kenshin's back to her. Running over to him, she was about to call out again, when she stopped running, her heart pounding and tears again falling softly down her face.  
  
She had just noticed that Kenshin was not alone. He and Kira were standing on the bridge together, locked in a passionate kiss.  
  
As the two of them broke away and disappeared into the depths of the garden, Kaoru crumbled to her knees, sobbing into the wet grass. As she looked around, her heart seemed to stop pounding. Everything looked exactly the same as in her dream. Closing her eyes and still crying softly, she lay herself on the ground and slowly drifted off to a troubled sleep.  
  
A/N: Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! Everyone is so kind and I feel so honored that you like my story! For all you Kenshin/Kaoru fans, I promise that this story will take a dive in the other direction, but that will come later! Sorry to leave you on such a cliffhanger! As long as the reviews keep coming, so will the rest of the story! Also, just to clear this up, Kaoru is NOT dreaming now . . . this is the reality, she's just happening to have deja-vu hehe ^_^ 


	3. Part 3

A/N: And here it is . . . the big finale . . . I'm sorry that this story was so short, but I didn't want it to drag on and also, I've been having some major writing blocks lately. I am so happy that you've enjoyed my story and I can assure you that I will write another very soon! Look for my next one! ^_^x I'd also like to thank all the amazing reviewers! Without your constant support, I would have never gotten this thing finished! Your compliments made me feel wonderful and there's nothing an author can ask for more than gracious critics! Thanks again!  
  
Part 3  
  
Slowly, Kaoru's eyelids fluttered open, streams of sunlight stinging her eyes. Rubbing her face, she sat up, realizing that she was sitting in her own bed. Squinting around the room, she noticed that her clothes from yesterday had been neatly folded and were lying on a footstool. Looking down, she discovered that she was wearing her bed robe. At the thought of someone else dressing her, her cheeks went slightly red.  
  
Just then, her vision was drawn to movement at the wall. Looking over quickly, she saw her door open slowly. Then, she noticed the bright red hair sticking through the doorway, and realized that Kenshin had poked his head into the room.  
  
"Ah, you're awake," he said with a smile.  
  
"Yes" she replied curtly.  
  
"May I come in?"  
  
"Fine." Kaoru turned her back to him, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
Damn, you're being way too obvious, a voice said inside her. Ignoring that voice, she stubbornly kept in that position.  
  
"Kaoru, I think that you saw something yesterday," Kenshin started, edging closer to her and sitting down by her futon.  
  
"What if I did," she challenged, her voice flat.  
  
"Kaoru, I-" he reached a hand out to her and rested it on her shoulder.  
  
Jerking back and causing his hand to fall, she continued to pout. "Humph!"  
  
Kenshin just shook his head. "Why are you acting so funny Ms. Kaoru? Ever since Kira came here you've been so moody and different. You are not yourself, that you aren't."  
  
She continued to stare at the wall, refusing to talk.  
  
"You see, Kaoru, Kira and I were in love once . . . we were young and foolish. But the reason that I'm still with her is almost like she is my tie to my past . . . Not the bloody, manslayer part, but the innocent and free side of life I haven't experienced in a long time. Ever since I left Hiko, I've been carrying this weight around on my shoulders. She reminds me of the time when that weight wasn't there."  
  
Kaoru continued to sit in silence, tears starting to well in her eyes.  
  
"Ms. Kaoru . . . you have to understand. I want to forget everything that's happened in the last ten years of my life and move on in the way that I once lived; happily."  
  
The tears began to stream down her face, and she sniffled, wiping them away with the sleeve of her robe.  
  
He tried again to put his hand on her shoulder, but this time, she stood up, tears and hurt reflecting in her eyes.  
  
"Don't you get it? Are you really that oblivious? Ever since you rescued me that day on the Tokyo street, I've loved you! From the first minute I saw you I knew that you were someone special! Don't you understand what I'm trying to say? I want to be with you!" she stopped shouting, as sobs shook her body. "But that will never happen now, will it" Kaoru added softly, running out of her room and going outside. As tears clouded her eyes, she ran towards the woods and sat down on that familiar log.  
  
Kenshin, however, sat there in shock, his mind churning with mixed emotions. Exasperated, he buried his head in his hands and cried out in frustration. He sat there like that for a while, trying to think over what he should do about this situation. Although he had known previously of her love for him, he never realized how serious it was until this moment.  
  
Meanwhile, Kaoru had stopped sobbing but still was wiping tears from her eyes as she sat on the large hollow log.  
  
Why hasn't he ever noticed the way I cant keep my eyes off of him, or the way that I always check on him while he sleeps? Why hasn't he ever noticed me the way I notice him? Does he think of me like a sister? . . . Or a friend? Her mind raced with anguishing questions, wondering if he'd ever love her the way she loved him.  
  
Just then, she heard the rustling of footsteps again, hearing someone approach. Not bothering to call out Kenshin's name, she instead just sat there, huddled with her knees pressed up against her chest. Surprisingly, Kira came into the clearing and slowly sat down next to Kaoru on the log.  
  
"Is it okay if I sit here?" she asked, her eyes reflecting sympathy.  
  
Kaoru just nodded.  
  
"Listen, I just wanted to thank you for having me here. I realize that I'm causing much trouble, and also I can't ask you to have me any longer. I'll leave today and try to send back everything I owe when I secure a job back in Kyoto."  
  
To her surprise, Kaoru felt herself stopping the girl. "No . . . please stay. You make Kenshin so . . . happy. He's never been this happy before," Kaoru's words shocked her and she stuck a finger to her mouth, her heart scolding her for being so foolish.  
  
Kira only shook her head, her face beaming with appreciation and wonder. "No . . . I really must be going."  
  
"Kenshin will be crushed" Kaoru whispered to herself, a bit louder than she had intended to.  
  
The other girl looked amazed. "Wow . . . you really love him, don't you? I can tell that you had something for him the whole time and I feel terrible for doing that to you. I can't believe you're willing to sacrifice your own happiness for his . . . he is truly fortunate to have a woman like you, Kaoru."  
  
Kaoru smiled slightly through her tears, "Yeah right, he would rather be with you. You bring out a part of him I've never seen; a more free part."  
  
"No," she denied, shaking her head. "I only bring him a false hope that things can one day become as carefree as they were when we were children. It's the Meiji Era now and things are just different. I am dangerous for Kenshin, because I make him hold onto his faith that he can again become without a care in the world; and that will only end up hurting him."  
  
It was Kaoru's turn to look amazed. "But, I saw you . . . I saw you in the garden. Don't you want to stay and be with him?"  
  
Kira sighed, "I want to, but I'll never be able to. Plus, my home is back in Kyoto. I can no longer stay here," she got up slowly, looking down at Kaoru, her eyes sad. "Kaoru, you can make him happy. Last night, when we kissed, I knew that I was not on his mind . . . you were. He loves you, Ms. Kaoru. He only wants me to bring his past back, he doesn't love me the way he loves you. You're very lucky to have each other."  
  
Kaoru couldn't keep from smiling, "You're an amazing person, Kira, and I wish you luck in everything you do. Please, come and visit sometime. I wish you would stay, but I cannot secure you in a place you don't wish to be."  
  
Kira bowed gently and then walked off, leaving Kaoru to sit and think about everything that she had said. Going back into the dojo, she passed Kaoru's room and spotted something bright red out of the corner of her eye. Coming in slowly, she sat down next to Kenshin and put her arms around him from behind.  
  
He looked up at her, his eyes reflecting confusion and misery.  
  
She bent her head down and whispered in his ear, "You love her, don't you?"  
  
Kenshin could only nod, looking even more melancholy.  
  
"Kenshin, listen to me. You only want me here because I am the connection to your carefree past. I know that you aren't truly in love with me, and don't try denying it. I am not upset or saddened by this, because you were always a best friend to me, and may a best friend you remain. Ms. Kaoru is head-over-heels for you and I know without question that you feel the same. If you only stopped to tell her how you feel, I know that everything would be better."  
  
Pausing a moment, she turned her head and looked at the crisp morning air. "I have to be going. I will visit again once I get settled in Kyoto. I promise I'll be back again someday," she got to her feet gently and slowly released her arms from around his shoulders. "Goodbye, Kenshin."  
  
Holding her hand, Kenshin glanced up and made eye contact with her, locking their gazes together. "Goodbye, Kira."  
  
Slowly releasing his hand, she stepped back and disappeared. As she left, Kenshin felt a part of him leave with her; a part that would be better off without him.  
  
I cannot live in the past, he thought, standing slowly. I must find Ms. Kaoru.  
  
At the same time, Kaoru was briskly walking through the garden, determined to talk to Kenshin about her feelings. As she walked up to the porch, Kenshin exited the doorway that connected her room to the porch area. Coming from different directions, they almost bumped into each other. Kaoru grabbed into Kenshin's arm and led him back into her room, where they both took a seat on the floor.  
  
"Kenshin," she started, "I'm sorry I poured so much emotion on you. It's just . . . well, I've always been so afraid that you wont return my love, and when I saw you kissing Kira, I was so sure that you were gone forever," she choked, unable to say any more.  
  
"Kaoru," he mumbled, tucking a loose strand of her jet back hair behind her ear. "At first, I have to confess, that you seemed to me just another person to protect; another one to keep watch over. But then I realized why I had wanted to protect you . . . it was because I love you, Kaoru. You make my life complete and, well when I think of the past, my mind wanders too far into the depths of the time that I've wished to seal away. Why I was trying to hide from my feelings, I don't know. Perhaps I was afraid of rejection, just as you were."  
  
She shook her head slightly, gazing into his eyes. "But Kenshin, I would never reject you-"  
  
"And I, you," he interrupted.  
  
"Yes, so then what are we afraid of?" They both said at the same time, surprising themselves. After a moment of sitting there in awkward silence, Kaoru began to laugh, her back shaking with giggles. Kenshin joined in and together they roared with laughter. After she had calmed herself, Kaoru took his hand, squeezing it affectionately.  
  
"I haven't laughed like that in a long time," she said gently, looking down at his hand, which was nestled in hers.  
  
Instead of responding, he moved his hands up to her face and cupped her chin in his palms. Looking into her eyes, he gently moved his face towards hers and their lips met, his eyelids softly closing.  
  
Feeling her heart rate increase, she returned his kiss, as they got more passionate and heartfelt every second. "I've been waiting for this forever," Kenshin mumbled.  
  
After the kiss was over, Kaoru rested in Kenshin's arms and they sat there, holding each other for what seemed like eternity.  
  
Just then, Yahiko's voice was heard at the doorway. "Ooh! You two just kissed! I'm telling Sano!" he taunted, sticking his tongue out at Kaoru.  
  
Her face flushing and her features getting scarier, Kaoru stood angrily and ran at Yahiko. "Get back here you little!" she shouted, chasing him as he scampered away from her grasp and ran outside.  
  
As she and Yahiko disappeared, their yells fading into the morning, Kenshin stood up and smiled. "Yep, things are definitely back to normal," he said to himself, heading into the kitchen to cook breakfast.  
  
THE END  
  
A/N: There you go, sorry about the weak ending! Its currently 3:30 in the morning where I'm living, so that might explain a bit ^_^x well, as I said above, I hope you enjoyed this little fanfic and although it is done, do not cease to review! If you have any ideas, please tell me, and I will try to incorporate them into my next story! Don't forget to email me or AIM me, also. Peace out!  
  
~Nakajima Seita  
  
Hmm . . . another quick thought: sequel? Maybe? It depends on the response I get . . . if you want a sequel, then review and say so! I'll have to see if I will have the time to write some more. 


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